This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-033627 filed on Feb. 17, 2009 in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a gas flow system, adaptor, and method, and more particularly to a gas flow system, adaptor, and method that may include a respiratory concentration sensor that measures the concentration of a selected component in the respiratory system, such as a gas including exhaled or inhaled air of a person who will be measured, a respiratory flow sensor that measures the respiratory flow rate, and an airway adaptor for use in these sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, a respiratory gas sensor for optically measuring the concentration of, for example, carbon dioxide in a person's breath is shown in Japanese published unexamined application No. 2001-66243. Such a sensor can optically detect the change over time of the concentration of, for example, carbon dioxide in the respiratory by passing the breath such as exhaled or inhaled air of a person who is being measured through an airway adaptor equipped with an optical sensor. In addition, there is also a method of measuring the concentration by sampling a portion of the breath from the person whose respiration is being measured. When such a respiratory gas sensor is used in a patient who needs respiratory management assistance, the airway adaptor is usually provided between the tube inserted into a patient's body, for example, the trachea, and an artificial respirator. The respiratory flow rate sensor is also provided at the same location.
In the case of respiratory management in a patient using an artificial respirator in this way, air may be steadily supplied from the artificial respirator to the patient in addition to periodic insufflation. As such, it is difficult to accurately measure the breathing of a patient, such as an infant who has low ventilation, by a steady influx of air from the artificial respirator into an airway adaptor.